


Tooth Ache

by Sentient_Zombie



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Pining, ill add more tags as i go on, reader is enby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29651997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sentient_Zombie/pseuds/Sentient_Zombie
Summary: With a clenched jaw, I looked on, knowing it was nothing more than a daydream played in an hourglass. As soon as the night became day, the dial would be turned, and that playful dream would reset. We would never be together, much like how there will never be snow falling in the summer’s sun, but it’s so much deeper than that. For starters, I was real, and he… he was nothing more than a fairy tale.Genji Shimada, an Agent of the Overwatch organization and a hero to some. Who was I in the light blocked out by the shadow he’d cast? I wasn’t even darkness to him, much less an ant. Ants are small and insignificant but in the occurrence that they step onto where they don’t belong, they are quickly pushed aside or killed sometimes. Genji… he’s probably crushed loads of ants, understandably. It’s all suffocating really, so much so that when I look at him, I forget to breathe sometimes.
Relationships: Genji Shimada/Reader
Kudos: 9





	Tooth Ache

**Author's Note:**

> I may or may have not rediscovered my love for one Cyborg Ninja dude. There’s some self projection here and there, and this is written in the first person for a reason. Please enjoy this hastily made story of Genji and You!

The rain was coming in lightly, gently. It was serene at HQ, and for some reason it felt so benevolent this day. My co-worker who usually swings by to check up on me is on break, thankfully, I appreciate the thought but I’ve got a lot of work piled up for some reason. 

I’m usually pretty good with keeping myself steady enough to not be drowning but right now in particular is pretty rough. My job here deals with organization and financials for the most part. It’s boring, but I’m not getting shot at so there’s that. 

Mainly my focus deals in damage caused by the heroes while they’re out doing hero work and what not. Someone’s gotta pick up the pieces after all. It’s a bitter thought, but it’s the price that some unfortunate individuals have to pay. It’s noon, and I think I’ve deserved a break too, I’ve been here since five AM sharp. 

Brunch sounds pretty fucking good if you ask me, but I’m so indecisive, I never know what to get. Moving past the cubicles and office spaces, I navigate through a few people’s desks and peer in to see what they’re doing if they’re occupied. 

I hate to be nosy, but at the cost of being the oldest kid in your family, you learn to look out for others and hound the slackers. So far, everyone’s either too busy to notice my stare or the seats are empty. 

It feels nice, to have a sense of power, like I’m the manager or something. When I drift along enough to reach the elevator I sigh, so far, so good. I wonder if he’s down there looking to grab some food too, Agent Shimada I mean. 

Embarrassingly enough as it is, I might like him. But it’s for the dumbest reasons. When I was a kid, I was a real weeb, I’m talking binging Naruto and trying to learn Japanese kinda weeb. Hatsune Miku was my idol, and meeting(not really meeting) a ninja— a cyborg ninja— in the flesh has to be one of my biggest fantasies come to life. That’s not a good reason to go and pine for someone, that’s not a good reason to go and fall in love either. 

As I press the southern arrow on the keypad, I frown at myself and clench my jaw a bit in disappointment. For a crush, I was hoping it’d be someone I’d have a chance with at least like… ah… well I don’t have any good examples right now but that doesn’t mean there aren’t none. 

The elevator chimes and I back up to allow the passengers inside to escape without it being an awkward hassle to get in and get out. Though, when I look up to see when I’ll finally be able to get a ride, it’s noticeable that the elevator is already pretty high up for some reason. 

Even so, the elevator is moving quickly and I’ll be able to board soon. Which is good, because I’m starving. After a good ten floors down, the steel doors open and I nearly choke. How comical, seriously. 

Genji is waiting by the controls, and looks at me with disinterest, as he should. My idiot monkey brain takes a solid second to register that the doors have opened and I quickly shake myself back to reality to step in before he can even make a syllable in his throat. He says something I don’t quite catch the first time because I’m freaking out. 

What the hell, don’t they have an exclusive elevator to use or something? I see something move in my peripheral vision and I tense up, smile, and furrow my brows. Ah, shit, I’m making an ugly face right now aren’t I?

“Are you alright…?”, he asks, it sounds simple enough but even I’m confused. 

“Yeah.. just, feeling really fried is all, sorry”, I respond, trying to sound cool as I awkwardly reach over to press the button of the floor I’m trying to get to when he interrupts me with a smile to his words. 

I want to see him smile, I want to see it so fucking bad this is torture. 

“If you’re looking to go to the cantine, I have already pressed the button. I’m sorry to hear that you’re not feeling too well at the moment”, I can’t tell if he’s just trying to be nice or if he sounds annoyed. 

“Oh.. uh.. sorry”, my voice sounds so defeated, like somebody just died or something, he sounds amused when he folds his arms at me so casually. 

“If I may ask, what is it that you do?”  
“I- haha- I basically handle the money for when you guys blow shit up”  
“Heh.. I see.. I hope we aren’t causing you too much trouble, you seem rather tired.. ah? I don’t think I caught your name”  
“Well.. you guys kinda do! Ah, that probably sounded rude, I’m sorry- and yeah! It’s not easy, but don’t worry we’ve got this handled! My name is [Name]”, my god, I wish Talon were here so that I could die. 

My coworker would love to hear all about this, surely. They’d be saying ‘Yes!!! I’m so proud of you!! Now ask him out’. 

“It’s nice to meet you then, [Name]. I’m Genji, but you probably already know that”  
“If it helps, you’re the least destructive member on this team”

He’d laugh at that, and I’d crack a smile too finally. His laugh, it didn’t sound as synthetic as his voice. I try and laugh along with him too, forcing a small chuckle that I’d hope he didn’t hear. In fact, after this conversation ends and the doors open, I will make a run for it and collect my lunch like the little rat that I was. 

I’d like to think that I know what would happen if this continued any further. I didn’t want to become a liability to my stupid crush, and he deserved someone far better than I. Someone who could be badass with him and also cool. 

Finally, at last we reach our destination, it sounds so dramatic when I think about it. Genji taps my arm, and it pulls me out from my thoughts, and I’m falling in love again. I look up, surprised to see him exiting, about to leave me behind(again, as he should). Like a lost puppy, here I go trailing after him. We’re the first ones here, or so it seems. 

The place is quiet for once but that’s because shit isn’t hitting the fan right now. Overwatch isn’t very different from any other organization or any other job I’ve worked in before. 2 o’ clock is rush hour. He looks over his shoulder, as if he’s making sure that I’m still there. 

“What do you normally get here?”  
“I.. normally, to be honest, I just get a bag of chips and a Red Bull”, I can feel the judgement behind his visor, it’s pretty intense. 

“That’s terrible, you should be eating better”  
“What are you, my mom?”, I sneer playfully before going to look at what’s available, there’s a lot and I feel overwhelmed. 

“[Name], be sure to get some veggies on your tray”, he laughs before going to get himself some rice and green beans. 

Alright, this should be a piece of cake, I mean, how hard is it to feed yourself? You’ve got all the materials right in front of you, you didn’t even have to break a sweat to cook these. That makes it less satisfying in my opinion, but still. Food! I settle for a good looking roast beef sandwich and a single leaf of spinach. 

Two for good measure sad I move along to grab an apple along the way. Genji is already finished preparing his meal and it… it looks just how I’d expect him to make it look, traditional like art. He’s looking over at my tray and I feel the dread pulling my intestines taut. 

“...”  
“Do you want to trade..?”  
“Hell no, go eat your fancy rice and beans”

He laughs at me and I clench my jaw tightly, he stops laughing then when he sees the way that I burn. 

He reaches out to me with one hand and tugs at the sleeve of my sweater. He’s like a little kid, but also not. It’s weird, but I love it or whatever. Not in a weird way. I don’t have to justify myself. Here I am being shepherd out to a table like he’s my best friend from Middle School, I miss you Terry. Why can’t it be you sitting here with me instead? 

I’m so nervous I don’t think I can eat. I hear something click and hiss, and then I look up to see him. He looks so bare without the visor, all scared up like that. I stare out of habit, but before I can look away, he catches me. Uncharacteristic of us both. 

“What?”, he seems bummed that I’d stare at those gorgeous brown eyes.

“I didn’t think you had a face is all, sorry. I’m just not used to it”  
“[Name]...”  
“..Yeah?”, did I fuck shit up? As per usual?

“How else am I supposed to eat?”, he’d be smiling then, and I’d smile right back at him. 

“A tube maybe? Come on man I’m not a Doctor here, I already told you I deal with money”, I pick up my sandwich and take a large chunk out of it. 

I try to hide my mouth and eat quickly, it’s not like I have any deadlines to meet at the moment but I don’t like being watched while I eat. I tear my eyes away from Genji as my heart increases the eating difficulty, I can tell that he’s watching me. 

It’s more so out of curiosity as I chew carefully as to not bite my cheek like an idiot. Surprisingly this has happened many, many times. My jaw is super fucked up, and it turns out I have extra teeth still coming in. Just in case I get into a fight and some asshole knocks them loose. 

When I swallow, I lick the front of my chops, and I can feel Genji stir from besides me. It’s disturbing, as I’ve been told. 

“You should eat. Your food will get cold and it’ll be a shame to toss it”, I state, nearly biting my tongue in the process. 

“Sorry, yeah”, and then that’s that. We eat in silence and while I eat, my mind goes elsewhere. 

I entertain the idea that this is a date, though a shitty one. Things are going well, but not well enough and maybe I was entertaining enough for him. I’m biting into my apple when I hear Genji rise and put his visor back on. He puts a hand on my shoulder, making me pause. I look up at him, my face flushed for a second before he speaks. 

The afternoon light comes in as I feel the weight of his mechanical hand press onto my shoulder gently. 

“Thanks for lunch, but I have to go now. Duty calls”, he’d say, or something along those lines.

“Yeah, no problem”  
“Until we meet again, [Name]”

I can’t tell if I’m smiling or if I’m frowning but I really hate that idea. He leaves me, and moves his hand. I swallow the crisp apple down my throat as I sit there, a hand coming up to touch my forehead before I sigh. Tears build up in my eyes as I keep on eating in silence. So much had happened in such little time, and I just wanted to burst. 

We’d be meeting again, whether I liked it or not. However, I’ll be ready next time, and I’ll take the stairs instead.


End file.
